Dakbayan Realty

21/08/2026

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For Filipinos buying a home, the biggest real estate risk may not always be the property itself. It may be the person selling it.

19/08/2026

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The (SC) has ruled that a sales agent’s promise to issue a Contract to Sell after payment of reservation fee is not an “advertisement” under Presidential Decree No. (PD) 957, or the 𝘚𝘶𝘣𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘉𝘶𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴’ 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦, that would form part of developer’s warranties. However, the developer may still be required to refund a buyer if it fails to honor that promise.

In a Decision written by Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh, the SC’s Third Division ordered Empire East Land Holdings, Inc. (Empire East) to refund the payments made by John Edrem Bautista (Bautista) after it failed to issue the promised Contract to Sell.

Bautista paid Empire East for a residential unit PHP 130,000, consisting of a PHP 20,000 reservation fee and PHP 110,000 in additional payments. He claimed he made the payments because Empire East’s sales agent promised to issue a Contract to Sell once he paid the reservation fee. When more than a year passed without the contract being issued, Bautista stopped making payments and demanded a refund.

The SC, agreeing with both the Human Settlements Adjudication Commission (HSAC) and the Court of Appeals which ruled in Bautista’s favor, held that Bautista was entitled to a refund but clarified that the sales agent’s promise did not fall under Section 19 of PD 957.

The SC clarified that Section 19, which mandates truthful and non-misleading advertisements and sales materials, applies only to materials intended for the general public, such as those in those in newspapers, radio, TV, or similar mass communication channels. It does not cover promises made by a sales agent to individual buyers.

The SC emphasized that buyers remain protected, as developers may still be held liable under their contractual obligations and other applicable laws.

The SC ordered Empire East to refund Bautista the PHP 130,000 with interest of 6% per annum reckoned from the filing of the complaint in 2012, as well as to pay PHP 260,000 in exemplary damages, which courts award to discourage wrongful conduct and warn against similar actions.

Read the full text of the Press Release at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=171359.

Read the full text of the Decision at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/272556-1.pdf.

Copying of this content is subject to the SC PIO’s Credit Attribution Policy: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/credit-attributionon-policy.

11/03/2026

With the City Assessor Engr. Adalin for the upcoming property valuation updates

14/02/2026

Stay ready.

As of February 2026, the Philippine real estate market is no longer just navigating market cycles; it is being fundamentally reshaped by the "soft power" of

31/12/2025

Honoring the Past, Welcoming the Future: Farewell to Victoria Plaza

Today marks a bittersweet milestone for Davao City's skyline. As Victoria Plaza Mall ends its operations to make way for the new Robinsons Land Corporation development, we aren't just seeing a building close—we are witnessing the evolution of our "Dakbayan."

This mall holds a very special place in my heart, long before I entered the world of Real Estate. I was part of the pioneering crew of Jollibee Victoria Plaza while I was a working student at Ateneo de Davao. Back then, these hallways were my training ground for hard work, customer service, and perseverance.

As a broker, I see this transition as a sign of Davao’s incredible growth and the bright future of our local property market. But as a Davaoeño, I will always treasure the memories of the city's first-ever mall.

Thank you, Victoria Plaza, for being a landmark of my youth and a pioneer of our city's commercial history. We look forward to the progress Robinsons Land Corporation will bring to this iconic location.

End of an era, but the start of a new chapter for Davao.